The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-13
A HEATHEN VIEW OF CHRISTIAN
Try.

In our last issue we made brief allu-
sion to the article of Wong Chin Foo,
in the North american Revie,o, entitled,
"Why am Heathenp" 1t is crisp
and snappy performance, and betrays
on the part of the writer complacent
satisfaction with his present beliefs and
scorn of Christian teaching and insti-
buttons which shows clearly that this
young Chinese scholar is not a candi-
date for conversion to any church or
form of religion, and prefers the agnos-
ticism Of an ethical system, like that of
Confucius, to any system that involves
faith in the spiritual verities and that
would teach mankind to look beyond
the present world for the fulfillment of
the high hopes and aspirations which
are inherent in the nature of man.
The writer represents himself as at one
time anxious to believe Christianity,
and as looking forward to life as a mis-
sionary among his own people; but the
transcript he gives of his experience as
student of Christianity is not of a
nature to impress the reader with con-
viction of any high sincerity, or any
anxiety to solve the problems of faith.
He is an agnostic to the manor born,
and has no sympathy with any form of
religious belief. The young man seems
also to have missed the fundamental
conceptions of religion, and to identify
the teachings Of Confucius with relig-
ion, whereas that system, except in a
popular sense, cannot be ranked with
the religious systems of the world. 1t
is simply ethics without religion, Con-
fucius, as writer in the Tribune points
out, doing for the educated class of
China, "what Herbert Spencer, and his
school of philosophy are trying to do
for the nominal Christians of these lat
ter days" Ellis work was done so
effectually, continues this writer, ''that
by misnomer Confucianism is classed
among the great religions of the world"
Confucianism is the negation of all
faith, and was, and is, simply agnosti-
cism in all it's great leading features.
Wong Chin Foo accepts this agnosti-
cism, and Identifies it with religion,
which it is not and cannot be, as the
negation of all faith.
Wong Chin Foo is clearly right,
however, on one point. The intellect
ual heather of the present day have no
sympathy with the doctrine of endless
punishment. He furnishes new testi-
mony on this point. 81 looked into
Presbyterianism, = he remarks, "only to
''retreat shudderingly from belief in a
"merciless God who had long foreor-
''dained most of the helpless human
trace to an eternal hell. To preach
"such doctrine to intelligent heather
"would only raise in their minds doubts
'of my sanity, il they did not believe l
twas lying" 1t is evident that, while
he gives various reasons for not accept
ing Christianity, and in fact for prefer
ing heathenism, so called, to Christian
civilization, this Chinese philosopher is
mainly repeIled from the religion of
Jesus, by the false teachings which have
driven rnyriads Of, sincere and thought
full people into infdelity and all forms
of unbelief. To ,carry such doctrine
as endless punishment to the heather
world, in the hope of converting it to
Christianity, will largely result in dis
appointment. Intelligent heather will
have none of it; the ethical teachings
of their philosophers have taught them
better than to thus believe of God. 1t
is growing conviction with many that
the only substantial hope for missionary
work, especially in China, India, and
Japan, is the practical reputation of
this dogma by the missionaries. There
is no outlook for Christianity with this
doctrine held up and advocated as a
part of the system. Wong Chin Foo
utterly repudiates it, and in this respect
he is representative of growing SEN
timent in the most enlightened heather
communities. We're this doctrine elm
mated from Christian teaching, there
would be more hope of winning the
heather to Christ. While it remains,
we may not be surprised if India, China,
and Japan, prefer the teachings of
their philosophers to the Christianity
that teaches that God will deal thus
mercilessly with any of his children.
1t is pagan idea, and intelligent
heather recognize it as utterly I'M
worthy of their belief. They are better
off without it.